Nepal: Media Under Siege

Reporters Without Borders voiced concern today about the safety of journalists in southern Nepal where armed groups are becoming increasingly active. At least 72 journalists have been attacked or threatened since 1 January by groups that use violence against the media and the civilian population in general. A list of the main incidents involving armed groups accompanies this release. "This is...

(FNJ/IFEX) - The distributors of the daily "Nepal Samacharpatra", who are associated with the pro-Maoist Nepal Publication and Communication Labour Association, padlocked the publication and distribution office of "Nepal Samacharpatra" on 26 May 2007 in the central district of Katmandu. According to "Nepal Samcharpatra", the distributors started the strike after making several demands on the...

(FNJ/IFEX) - Lokshari Kuwar, editor and publisher of "Morning Bell" daily, was captured and attacked by a group of people on 2 May 2007 in Dhangadi, Kailali, a western district of Nepal. According to Birendra Rawal, president of Press Chautrai Nepal, three "hooligans" - Ganesh Chand, Lalit Kuwar and Prem Kalel - brutally beat Kuwar. He sustained serious wounds to his head and neck; two teeth were...

(FNJ/IFEX) - Yuvraj Adhikary, a local correspondent of Radio Nepal, was attacked by cadres of the Maoist-aligned Young Communist League (YCL) on 2 May 2007 in the Kusumba market of Bardiya, a mid-western district of Nepal. Adhikary had gone to the Kusumba market to collect news about a clash between armed police forces, deployed at the market for border security purposes, and a group of refugees...

Though King Gyanendra, regarded as Nepal's worst suppressor of the media, was ousted from power last year, his role is now being taken over by Maoist guerrillas, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in its annual report on media freedom worldwide. In its annual press freedom report published Thursday, RSF looked at the media situation last year in 98 countries, tabling the worst violations in...

(CEHURDES/IFEX) - CEHURDES condemns the targeted attack by a section of protesters staging demonstrations in the eastern region of Terai in Nepal during the latter half of January 2007 (see IFEX alert of 26 and 22 January 2007). On 28 January, protesters in Birgunj city targeted media houses and reporters. According to the "Kantipur" daily newspaper, the protesters even went around the city...

(FNJ/IFEX) - Soldiers of the Maoist's People's Liberation Army (PLA) barred journalists from entering their Fourth Division headquarters at Jhyaldanda in Nawalparasi district while a seven-member United Nation Arms Management Team was inspecting the site on 16 January 2007. Camp commander Yam Bahadur Adhikari said, "We will provide information to the journalists but not allow them to enter the...

(CEHURDES/IFEX) - Kathmandu, January 17, 2007 - The Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) - a Kathmandu-based freedom of expression monitoring group - expresses its concerns over some provisions in the recently promulgated interim constitution that could undermine press freedom. While welcoming the promulgation of the interim constitution as another key step in the current...

(FNJ/IFEX) - Newspapers at Nepalgunj, Banke, west of Nepal, have stopped publishing since 26 December 2006, following attacks on journalists who were reporting on the Terai Bandh (strike). The strike was called on 25 December by the Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Anandadevi (NSP-A) to express dissatisfaction over the recently signed interim Constitution for allegedly failing to meet the demands of the...

New York, January 3, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists called today on the Nepalese government to investigate attacks on journalists in the western town of Nepalgunj which prompted nine newspapers to suspend publication from December 26 to 30. The attacks came amid sectarian violence that killed one person and injured dozens. “We are concerned that journalists were a specific target of...